In a gripping turn of events reminiscent of a Bollywood blockbuster, the fate of Navneet Kaur Rana’s bid for the Amravati Lok Sabha seat hung in the balance as the clock ticked towards noon on Thursday. Amidst a charged atmosphere at the Dussehra ground in Amravati, the incumbent MP found herself awaiting a crucial verdict from the Supreme Court regarding her caste certificate.
Navneet Kaur Rana, flanked by supporters and political heavyweights including Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, stood poised at a rally, her electoral ambitions teetering on the edge. The suspense peaked as the Supreme Court deliberated on a petition challenging the revocation of Ms. Rana’s ‘mochi’ caste certificate by the Bombay High Court.
The Bombay High Court had earlier nullified Ms. Rana’s caste certificate on June 8, 2021, citing alleged fraudulent procurement using fabricated documents. Moreover, it imposed a hefty fine of ₹ 2 lakh on Ms. Rana, asserting her caste as ‘Sikh-Chamar’ based on available records.
As the clock struck 11:58 pm, the Supreme Court bench, comprising Justices JK Maheshwari and Sanjay Karol, commenced the eagerly awaited verdict. In a dramatic twist, the bench ruled in favor of Ms. Rana, criticizing the High Court’s interference with the scrutiny committee’s report on her caste certificate. The courtroom drama unfolded over 1,100 km away with all the intensity of a thriller, culminating in jubilation on the rally stage in Amravati.
With the specter of disqualification dispelled, the atmosphere at the rally transformed from apprehension to celebration. Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis wasted no time in declaring the Supreme Court’s decision a resounding victory for Ms. Rana, reinvigorating her electoral aspirations.
Buoyed by the favorable verdict, Ms. Rana, accompanied by her jubilant supporters and BJP leaders, wasted no time in formalizing her candidacy. At 1:42 pm, she marched to the returning officer’s office and filed her nomination papers, marking a significant milestone in her political journey.
Reflecting on her journey, Ms. Rana expressed gratitude to the people of Amravati for their unwavering support. Recalling her victory as an independent candidate in 2019, she attributed her success to the confidence the electorate placed in her ability to represent their voices in Parliament.
Ms. Rana’s political trajectory has been marked by twists and turns, from her initial alignment with the NCP to her eventual success as an independent candidate in 2019. Now, with the specter of disqualification behind her, she is poised to contest the upcoming Lok Sabha elections with renewed vigor.
As Maharashtra braces for the electoral fray across its 48 parliamentary constituencies, the Supreme Court’s verdict has injected a fresh dose of excitement into the political landscape, setting the stage for a fiercely contested battle for representation.
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